New IHRA Membership Fee for 2017; Upgraded Membership Benefits

As the second-largest drag racing sanctioning body in the world, the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) continues to evolve its unique drag racing programs, implement new technologies and find ways to boost events for racers, fans and sponsor partners. To ensure the IHRA has the resources to support their mission, IHRA executives have announced a new annual membership fee starting January 9, 2017, for members world-wide.

The heightened 2017 IHRA membership includes:

• Live streaming of the Summit Sportsman National Championship program via a National broadcast partner.• Upgraded sportsman format with the best point purses in the motorsports industry.• A weekly digital newsletter, coverage on RACER.com and access to a quarterly digital copy of Drag Review Magazine. • A competition license that is good to compete at any IHRA event at nearly 100 sanctioned tracks across the world during the 2017 season.• IHRA provides members excess medical coverage. Racing at an IHRA track, racers have $5,000 in excess medical coverage but as an IHRA member, if a track-related incident occurs, members receive $100,000.00 in excess medical coverage. If it's a serious injury, IHRA coverage will pay $200 a week for 26 weeks. • A copy of the 2017 IHRA Rulebook and IHRA decals.• Additional membership benefits will be announced at a later time.

"Membership is the foundation of everything we do at the IHRA. It is our objective to increase value for each and every one of our members," stated Bobby Carville, IHRA membership coordinator. "In addition to the upgrades already mentioned for our class and bracket racers for the 2017 season, we continue to develop our member benefits package and are committed to making membership in the IHRA the best money you can spend on your racing program."

The IHRA and Summit Racing Equipment recently announced two National sportsman programs highlighting the 2017 season. The bracket racing based Summit SuperSeries will make its return to IHRA-sanctioned member tracks for the 16th season and the newly formed Summit Sportsman National Championship, which takes the place of the Summit Pro-Am Tour regional format, will make its debut for class racing competitors. In addition, the points funds for both sportsman programs will be greater than and pay more places than any other class racing series in existence.

IHRA president, Mike Dunn said, "The IHRA team has been aggressively looking at different ways to strengthen the programs that we offer to our racers, fans and partners. With the introduction of the Summit Sportsman National Championship and the increased points fund across the platforms, our goal is to provide the best experience at IHRA-sanctioned events.""These are exciting times for our sport as live stream will return in 2017 with a national broadcast partner and increased exposure on additional digital and social media channels will help the IHRA garner even more exposure. Everyone at the IHRA is looking forward to one of the best seasons yet in sportsman racing," Dunn continued.

The increased IHRA membership fee will not go into effect for 30-days, allowing members to renew or sign-up for a one-year membership under the old fee structure until the January 9, 2017 cutoff date. In addition, any IHRA membership that currently expires on or before March 31 can be renewed for one year at the 2016 rate through January 9, 2017.

The IHRA is owned and operated by IRG Sports + Entertainment™, a TPG Specialty Lending company, and promotes professional and sportsman racing for drivers of all levels. The IHRA sanctions more than 100 motorsport facilities in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Bahama's and welcomes 80,000 racers annually to their IHRA-sanctioned facilities. The IHRA oversees multiple sportsman racing programs including the newly introduced Summit Sportsman National Championship, Summit Racing Equipment SuperSeries, and Summit Racing Equipment Tournament of Champions.